Lanyard



Jah. 30, 1968 A. J. GRANDY LANYARD Filed Sept. 2, 1966 INVENTOR. F IG.2, ANDREw J.GRANDY W1- W, W? WW ATToRNsYs:

United States Pater Ofice 3,3%,008 Patented `iian. 30, 1968 3,366,008LANYARD Andrew J. Grandy, North Hills, Pa., assignor to the UnitedStates of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army FiledSept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 577,095 Ciaims. (Cl. 89-15) This inventionrelates to lanyards and, more particularly, to a munition launchingarrangement that facilitates laun-ching a munition s-uch as a fiare froman aircraft, particularly from helicopters With which extensive fiareuse has developed in the present-day confiict.

The use of conventional Wire spools to enable pay-out for such fiare usehas been unsatisfactory in that a particular launchh orientation of theflare Was required.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a munition launchingarrangement in which the pay-out characteristics of a compactly arranged'cable are not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a launchingarrangement which may be safely operated at random launch or dischargeorientation.

in one aspect of the invention a belted lanyard is provided to launchmunitions from an aircraft and in which there is a flexible belt With asubstantial length of Wire threadedly stitched thereto, the Wire havinga substantial central portion, including a plurality of return bendsthreadedly secured to the belt, and a pair of end portions one of whichhaving means for connection to and actuation of a munition ignitingmeans, and the other end portion having means for connecting the Wire toan aircraft frame member.

These and other objects, advantages and features Will become moreapparaent from the following description and accompanying drawings inwhich:

PIG. 1 is an exploded perspective vieW of a munition launchingarrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

PIG. 2 is a plan VieW of an opened belted lanyard of the PIG. 1arrangement.

In the munition lanu'ching arrangement shown generally at (FIG. l) aflare 11 has an ignition line 12 extending upwardly from the centralportion of the flare body through a centrally apertured existing disc 13that upon assembly is suitably secured to the top outer Wall portion 14of the fiare 11. One end of the ignition line 12 is appropriatelysecured to a fuze arming train (not shown) and the free end passingthrough disc 13 terminates in an appropriate loop 15.

A heat sealed package 16 of plastic tubing containing a belted lanyardwhich Will be more fully described hereinafter, is secured to the flareor munition 11 by a pressure Sensitive adhesive tape 17.

The belted Wire lanyard, shown generally at 20 (FIG. 2) comprises alightweight fiexible Canvas 21 to which a substantial length of braidedWire 22 is belted or seWn by cotton thread 24 rated at 4 to 12 poundstest. The Wire 22 has a substantial central portion 23, including aplurality of 'continuous return bends 25 arranged in zig-zag formation,threadedly secured to the canvas belt 21 and a pair of end portions 26,27 that respectively have an attachment means such as a quick disconnectloop 28 for securing or connecting the pay out Wire 22 to an aircraft 5anchoring member or static line (not shown) and a fastener 29 that inturn is secured to the ignition line loop to actuate the munition orflare igniting means.

The canvas belt is hemmed at 30 on the back face along its edges, andthe belted lanyard is folded in half th-ree times prior to packagingWith the Wire end portions 26, 27 protruding at corresponding ends ofthe sealed package.

By virtue of the foregoing, trouble free pay out of the lanyard isobtained and by which the arming distance of the munition or flare canbe substantially increased to meet existing requirements.

Various modifiactions, changes or alterations may be resorted to Withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the `appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A belted lanyard for launching munitions from aircraft and the like,comprising a flcxible belt With a substantial length of Wire threadedlystitched thereto, said Wire having a substantial 'central portion,comprising a plurality of return bends threadedly secured to said belt,and a pair of end portions,

means on one of said Wire end portions for connectng said Wire to amunition igniting means to actuate the same, and

means on the other of said end portions for connecting said Wire to anaircraft anchoring member,

so constructed and arranged that pay-out characteristics of the lanyardare not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

2. In a munition launching arrangement having -a munition and means forigniting said munition,

a belted lanyard comprising a fiexible belt With a substantial length ofWire threadedly stitched thereto, said Wire having a substantial centralportion, comprising a plurality of return bends threadedly secured tosaid belt, and a pair of end portions,

means on one of said Wire end portions connected to said igniting meansfor actuating the same, and

means on the other of said end portions for Connecting said Wire to anaircraft anchoring member,

so constructed and arranged that pay orut characteristics of the lanyardare not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said munition 50 is a fiare.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said Wire central portion comprisesa plurality of continuous return bends arranged in zig-zag formaton.

5. The structure of claim 1 Wherein said Wire central portion comprisesa plurality of continuous return bends arranged in zig-zag formation.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BoRcHELT, Prz'mzz'y Examz'ner.

1. A BELTED LANYARD FOR LAUNCHING MUNITIONS FROM AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE,COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE BELT WITH A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF WIRE THREADEDLYSTITCHED THERETO, SAID WIRE HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL CENTRAL PORTION,COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RETURN BENDS THREADEDLY SECURED TO SAID BELT,AND A PAIR OF END PORTIONS, MEANS ON ONE OF SAID WIRE END PORTION FORCONNECTING SAID WIRE TO A MUNITION IGNITING MEANS TO ACTUATE THE SAME,AND MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID END PORTIONS FOR CONNECTING SAID WIRE TOAN AIRCRAFT ANCHORING MEMBER, SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT PAY-OUTCHARACTERISTICS OF THE LANYARD ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON LAUNCH ORIENTATIONOF THE MUNITION.